Concentrating evaporator



T. M. SMNNER, JR

CONCENTRATING EVAPORATOR Filed April 15, 1920 2 Sheets-fiheet- 1 glwvmlfox Sept. .25, W23.

T. M. SKINNER, JR

GONCENTRATING EVAPORATOR Filed April 15, 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I cjwuemfoz T. kmr'leh Ll Patented fiept. 25, T23.

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THOMAS M. SUMMER, 31%, DOUGLAS, WYOMINGL CONGENTRATING EVAPORATOR.

Application filed April 15, 1920. Serial No. 374,022.

To all whom it may concern.

The object of this invention is to provide an apparatus which may beused for economically evaporating liquors,-particularly those whoseresidue is to be recovered. This is especially adapted for use in thesugar and potash industries.

Briefly, the invention comprises the use of a special boiler, whereinthe weak liquor is initially boiled. After this treatment, the liquoritself is conducted to one of a series of evaporators for furthertreatment; thence to intermediate evaporators, if used, and finally tothe last evaporator of the series for final treatment. The steam istaken ofi of the special boiler under vacuum by means of any uitabletype of pump, and conducted under pressure produced by said pump intothe last of the series of evaporators. The

steam thus introduced under pressure is thereby brought to a highertemperature, and is passed into a sort of tube boiler in the evaporator,whereby the liquor receives the last heat treatment in the evaporationprocess. In this final evaporator, the steam or vapor produced iswithdrawn under vacuum, and introduced under pressure by a pump, such asfirst described, into such intermediate evaporators as may be employed,and this process is repeated for each of the other evaporators.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 shows a side elevation of the special boiler of my invention,coupled with the last evaporator of the series and two otherevaporators.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the special boiler.

Fig. 3 is a verticalsection on the line 33 it of Fig. 2; and

, Fig. 4 is a horizontal'section on the line 44 of Fig. 2.

A furnace 1 0 is provided which has a grate 12 and a fire wall 14 tocarry products of combustion to the back of the furnace. Upon thefurnace there is mounted a special boiler 16, which contains a lowerseries of small tubes 18, horizontally disposed, and an upper series oflarger tubes 20, also horizontally disposed. The products of combustionpass along under the bottom of the boiler 16 into the lower portion of aheader 24, divided by a partition 22, into upper and lower compartments.The heated products pass thence through the tubes 18 to a header 26 atthe opposite side of the boiler, and are returned through tubes to theupper compartment of header 24, whence they escape by stack 28. Abovethe top of the boiler 16 a suitable pump 30 is positioned, this pumpbeing connected with the boiler by a pipe section 32. The pump 30 may beof any suitable type which will withdraw the steam or vapor from theboiler 16 under vacuum and discharge it into an evaporator underpressure.

A conduit 34 leads from the pump 30 and is provided with a pair ofbranches 36, which are connected at 38 with an evaporator 40, which isthe last of the series. Within said evaporator 40 a sort of tube boiler42 is provided, into which the steam is introduced by the pump 30 forthe purpose of treating the liquor within said evaporator.

The steam or vapor arising from such treatment is withdrawn under vacuumfrom said evaporator 40 by means of a pump 44, similar to pump 30, whichintroduces said steam or vapor under pressure by means of conduits 46and 48, into the first evaporator 50 of the series. The process isrepeated in the evaporator 50, the vapors being carried away by pumps 52and introduced into an intermediate evaporator 54, and so on, in caseother evaporators are used.

the y The liquor which received its first treatnor is conducted by pipe66 from evaporator I 54 and introduced into the final evaporator 40 ofthe series, where it receives its last treatment from the steam which isbeing introduced directly from the boiler 16. The product will bewithdrawn from the takeofi indicated as 68. The evaporators 40, 50

and 54: are shown provided respectively with draw-offs 70, 72 and 74,for the water of condensation remaining after the steam introduced intothe respective evaporators has been spent.

From the foregoing, it will beseen that'I have provided means foremploying the Weak liquor itself as a medium for supplying the steamwhich is required to carry on the various evaporators of the series. Bywithdrawing the steam under vacuum, and then introducing it into thenext chamber under pressure, the maximum of eflicienoy is obtained froma given amount of fuel. At the same time, a great saving will be broughtabout, especially in those sections where water supply is a seriousconsideration. The water which is'used to produce the liquor thus servesalso to provide the steam to the system.

I claim:

1. An evaporating apparatus comprising 7 a boiler for the reception of aWeak liquor,

means in said boiler whereby the liquor will be subjected to directheat, a series of evaporating units, means for conducting liquordirectly from the boiler to one of said units, and a connection forconducting steam from the boiler to the last evaporator in the series.

2. An evaporating apparatus comprising a boiler for the reception of aweak liquor, means in said boiler whereby the liquor will be subjectedto direct heat, a series of evaporating units, means for conductingliquor directly from the boiler to one of said units, and a pump forwithdrawing steam from the boiler and conducting it to the lastevaporator, in the series under increased pressure and temperature.

3. An evaporating apparatus comprising a boiler toreceive weak liquor, aseries of evaporators, means for leading the heated liquor from theboiler to the first evaporator of the series, means for leading saidliquor from one evaporator to another, a connection leading from theupper portion of the boiler to the last of the series of exaporators, apump in said connection to withdraw vapors from the boiler by vacuum andintroduce them into said last evaporator under increased pressure, andconnections and a pump for taking the vapors from said last evaporatorby vacuum and introducing it to the first under increased pressure 4. Anevaporating apparatus comprising a boiler to receive weak liquor, aseries of evaporators, means for leading the heated liquor from theboiler to the first evaporator of the series, means for leading saidliquor from one evaporator to another, a connection leading from theupper portion of the boiler to the last one of the series ofevaporators, a pump in said connection to withdraw vapors from theboiler by vacuum and introduce them into said last evaporator underincreased pressure, and connections and a pump for taking the vaporsfrom said last evaporator by vacuum and introducing it to the firstunder increased pressure.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

THOMAS M. SKINNER, JR.

